A Nigerian woman living in the United Kingdom has appealed to British authorities to review CCTV evidence and overturn the robbery conviction of her son, insisting he was wrongly found guilty despite what she describes as evidence proving his innocence.
Mrs. Olayinka Akinrinola, founder of the Olayinka Akinrinola Foundation, said her son, Oluwatobiloba Akinrinola, was convicted after what she called an unfair investigation and trial, alleging that key CCTV footage and witness testimonies supporting his defence were ignored.
Speaking about the controversial case, Akinrinola maintained that her son had no involvement in the robbery and had merely found himself at the wrong place at the wrong time.
Akinrinola said she and her husband relocated to the United Kingdom more than two decades ago in search of better opportunities for their family.
According to her, Oluwatobiloba was born and raised in Britain, completed all his education there, and gained admission to the University of Leicester in 2025 for his undergraduate studies.
She described him as a respectful, sociable and compassionate young man with no history of criminal behaviour.
Recounting the events that led to the case, Akinrinola said her son attended a student party on November 21, 2025, after receiving a general invitation alongside friends.
She explained that while at the gathering, Oluwatobiloba briefly entered an apartment after hearing a commotion and discovered people arguing over the alleged theft of a pair of new shoes.
According to her, he immediately left after realizing the dispute had nothing to do with him.
The following day, friends contacted him to ask about reports of a robbery at the party. She said he consistently denied any involvement and maintained that he neither witnessed nor participated in any robbery.
Akinrinola alleged that a social media influencer later accused her son of being a robber in videos posted on TikTok, causing the allegations to spread rapidly online.
Concerned about the claims, her son reportedly contacted the police himself and volunteered to cooperate with investigators.
According to her, officers informed him that he was not a suspect and advised him not to worry about the online accusations.
However, she said everything changed on December 3, 2025, when police arrested him, seized several personal belongings, including his trainers, jacket, watches and iPad, and later charged him in connection with the alleged robbery.
The UK-based mother argued that the trial, which lasted from June 8 to June 19, 2026, failed to properly consider evidence favourable to her son.
She claimed witness testimonies were inconsistent, noting that while some witnesses placed him at the scene, others insisted he was not present.
According to her, CCTV footage presented during proceedings allegedly showed another suspect carrying the stolen items, while another individual identified as “Tekz” was also captured leaving the premises with the belongings.
She questioned why those individuals were either not arrested or later acquitted while her son was convicted.
Akinrinola further claimed that another witness confirmed her son was outside the building making a phone call when the alleged robbery occurred.
She also noted that investigators found no stolen money linked to her son’s bank account.
The family believes racial discrimination may have influenced the handling of the case.
Akinrinola revealed that she had previously won compensation after suffering racial abuse in the United Kingdom, while her son had also allegedly experienced racial profiling before his arrest.
She argued that the latest case reflected similar prejudice and called for an independent review.
With sentencing scheduled for July 27, Akinrinola is urging British authorities to re-examine all CCTV footage and evidence presented during the investigation.
She insists her son was wrongly convicted and should be released, arguing that the actual perpetrators identified during the investigation were either not prosecuted or were eventually acquitted.
“My son is innocent,” she said, appealing to the public and relevant institutions to support efforts to secure a review of the case and prevent what she described as a miscarriage of justice.
The case has continued to attract attention among members of the Nigerian community in the United Kingdom, with renewed calls for transparency and a comprehensive review of the evidence before sentencing.
